In A Doll House, Henrik Ibsen writes about a topic that seems so vital to him, this is the social life and duties of persons in society. This time round he chooses to use the institution of marriage and a home. Ibsen intended that the reader sees the position of a woman in this society as she seems caged in the whole institution of marriage. This is seen through the relationship that exists between Nora Helmer and her beloved husband Torvald Helmer and to some extent Nora’s father. In fact all the life that Norah lives, she conforms to societal norms in her duties as a daughter, wife and mother. She meets the expectations of others until the time she realizes that her life is but a sham. Ibsen brings her out as a person lacking or has a little personality of her own. It is therefore true to say that Ibsen wants to bring to the attention of the reader the positions held by both men and women in this society as well as the expected norm about the union of marriage in society.
As a wife, Nora goes an extra mile, in the name of her love for her husband, to commit a crime in order to save him through his health. She is eager to save her husband in total disregard of the legal consequences of the crime she commits. She goes into debt and forges her late father’s signature in order to get the so much needed money that her husband needs to go for a medical holiday in Italy. She shelves the issue and does not give it much thought until it comes back to haunt her when Krogstad comes calling. This shows the sacrifices that people can make when it comes to issues that touch on their families. As a wife, Nora went out on her way to look for a solution to a problem that they were facing. She even does it without the knowledge of her husband and this shows her love and commitment to him. Perhaps this is a message that Ibsen uses to teach how wives and husbands should live. In as much as she uses lies, she does all that to save her husband.
After illegally obtaining the loan, Nora goes on to pay it in secret without her husband knowing. It is clear throughout the play that when a woman loves her husband she can go to the limits to serve him. Nothing matters at all, including the illegality of their actions as long as they are good intentioned. When her husband’s life is in danger, Norah does not stop at anything and goes on to commit a crime for his sake. Even when she is confronted by her husband considering that the truth is to be revealed, she would rather commit suicide than her husband take responsibility for her actions. It is her joy that she would rather put her life in danger than the life of her husband. This could be the true form of true love from a wife to her husband. Even when she is asked to stay away from her children, she would rather do so in order not to be a bad example to them.
At one point, she has to reveal the truth and this she does to her friend, she goes on to tell her that at one point she saved her husband. When it came to the payment of the debt, she uses the money given to her for her personal use. She goes on to say that when her husband gave her money for clothes and other things, she did not use all the money. Half of the money she did put into the payment of the debt. She says that she just bought simple things in order to save enough with which to pay the debt. She even goes on to say that her husband did not notice that. She has to sacrifice and avoid beautiful dresses and instead buy cheap and simple ones. This is a sacrifice that is too expensive for a woman because generally, all women would like to look good in expensive and good clothing. She even goes on to get money using other ways in order to get enough to pay the debt she incurred. She did a heap of copying and she did shut up herself all evenings and wrote far into the night. This is a sacrifice that a loving woman, could only give to save her husband’s life
Ibsen supports good family life where husband and wife can have each other’s back. This is seen through the way in which Nora makes sacrifices in the name of helping her husband even when he is not aware of them. Sacrifices are good when they are done with the best of intentions. To a huge extent it does not matter whether they are legal or not. Anyone, under Nora’s circumstances can go to those lengths for the sake of the man she loves. But then what does Torvald give in return. Even when he swears that he loves her so much, this could be pretentious. Love in this scenario is unfair. One is willing to risk her life for the other while the other is too willing to let go the person he says he loves so much. Ibsen in this case brings out the fact that love can be so unfair, a wife is willing to give anything, even her life for her husband but then the husband on the other hand is all too willing to let go of a marriage. Even her pleading for her to stay does not seem sincere.
One lesson learnt here though is that secrets are not good because they can destroy even the best of marriages. At the end of the day, Torvald behaves like a stranger to Nora. He does not take into consideration the fact that all the sacrifice and risk was about him. Finally Norah gets to see the other side of im. He seems like a stranger to her and therefore asks what good it s to live with a stranger and bear him children. She even says of how, when he came to live in his house, she let him do as he pleased without much of her say. She equates herself to a beggar and that she stands to gain nothing by staying. She had to pay a big price for her marriage and her husband. Torvald could not see the sense in her lies. The union of marriage is in jeopardy. Both men and women have a different viewpoint to issues affecting them in marriage. A home is at the verge of collapsing simply because of the different opinions that each holds of the other. Ibsen uses Torvald and Norah to bring out the expected norms of society about the roles and positions held y both men and women. A lesson well learnt here is that communication is important in the building of a home. Perfect freedom on the part of women is the only liberator if they have to make the best out of marriage. If good communication and freedom were present in this family, then there may have been a true bond between Nora and Torvald.
Work Cited
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Rockville: Serenity Publishers. 2009
